Immediate response of Poland: Statement of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the possible departure of AWPL from the government coalition.

In response to speculations which appeared in some media in Lithuania, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform you that the participation of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (AWPL) in the government coalition has never been the subject of bilateral arrangements between Poland and Lithuania on any level.

Poland does not comment on decisions relating to the composition of democratically elected authorities in its neighbouring countries nor interfere with their domestic affairs.

We express our regret over the attempts to involve Poland in Lithuania’s domestic political game. We wish to emphasise that regardless of the composition of the government coalition in Lithuania, Poland continues to expect that the Lithuanian Government will fulfil its commitments under international agreements (such as the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and the Polish-Lithuanian Treaty on Friendly Relations and Good Neighbourly Cooperation of 1994) that consist in applying European standards to the Polish minority in Lithuania.

Poland is committed to develop mutual relations with Lithuania in the spirit of friendship, following the centuries-old tradition of coexistence and close cooperation between our nations.

Marcin Wojciechowski

Press Spokesman of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Source: msz.gov.pl